Electrical interrupter.



No. 663.695. Patented Dec. ll I900.

J. M. DAVIDSON. ELECTRICAL INTERRUPTER.

(Application filed Juno 7, 1900.)

(No Model.)

, @Mm %W w UNIT STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JAMES MACKENZIE DAVIDSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRICAL INTERRUPTEFR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,695, dated December11, 1900. Application filed June '7, 1900. derial No. 19,461. (Nomodel.)

T0 00% whom zit may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES MACKENZIE DA- VIDSON, a subject of Her Majestythe Queen of Great Britain, residing at London, in the county ofMiddleseX, England, have in vented certain new and useful Improvementsin Electrical Interrupters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrical interrupters of the mercury type; andit has for its objects to simplify their construction, to obviate orlessen the disturbance of the conducting fluid when the interrupter isin operation, and generally to effect the improvements hereinafterindicated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of aninterrupter em tric (Z of lower specific gravity than the fluidconductor 0.

Rotatably mounted upon the frame a is an inclined shaft 6, carrying atits lower end a desired number of contacts f. These contacts may, asshown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, pass through a disk g of insulatingmaterial, making contact with the shaft 6 at the center and with themercury c at the periphery, or, as shown in Fig. 5, one or more barecontactblades g may be employed. The disk g and contacts f arecompletely immersed in the fluids c d, the lower stratum c of whichalone is the conductor.

As will be clearly seen from Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the contactsf arepreferably so applied to the disk 9 as to be flush with it in order thatthe disturbance produced in the fluids by the rapid rotation of thecontacts may be reduced to a minimum, and it is for the same reason thatthe disk g and contacts)" are completely immersed in the fluids 0 (Z.

Rotation is imparted to the shaft 6. drawings show an electromotor 71.,which is a very convenient means, and, as shown, the shaft e may withadvantage be a continuation of the motor-armature shaft.

One terminal t' may be clamped to the tank Z), and from it extends arodj, that dips into the mercury c. The other terminal may have a brushconnection 71' adapted to bear upon the shaft 6.

It will be apparent that the period of make and break may be adjusted byvarying the quantity of fluid conductor 0 at the bottom of the tank Z)and that the speed of rotation of the shaft 6 may be varied by adjustingthe resistance of the motor-circuit.

By mounting the shaft e in an inclined manner I am enabled to completelyimmerse the contacts f in the fluids 0 (Z and at the same time avoid theuse of stuffing-boxes, which would be necessary in the case of ahorizontally-mounted shaft.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. An electricalinterruptercomprising, in combination, a tank, a fluidconductor and a fluid dielectric in said tank, one or more contactscompletely immersed in said fluids, an

inclined shaft carrying said contacts, and

means to rotate said shaft.

2. An electrical interrupter comprising, in combination, a tank, a fluidconductor and a fluid dielectric in said tank, a disk of insulatingmaterial and contacts carried thereby completely immersed in saidfluids, an inclined shaft carrying said disk and its contacts, and meansto rotate said shaft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAMES MACKENZIE DAVIDSON.

Witnesses:

A. F. Sroonnn, J. S. Wirnnns.

The I

